Gyroscope



Patented July 27, 1943 NT OFFICE GYROSCOPE John S. Forster, Pittsburgh, and Seymour W. Herwa-ld, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignors to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company,

East Pitts :Sylvania burgh, Pa.`,` a corporation ofkPenn- Application January s, 1941, serial No. 373,680

, 9 o1aims.m(o1.745 yOur invention relates to gyroscopic apparatus, Y' i and more specifically to a means for protecting a gyroscope-or. agyroscopic regulator from excessive torque loads caused by high precession speeds. Y

VAn object of our inventionistofprovide a sim- 'Y ple, inexpensive Aand yet highly` reliable means for .protecting a `gyroscope ora gyroscopic regulator from developing excessively high torques which might be destructive to the gyroscopic assembly. A morey specic object of our invention'is to provide a clutch in a drive for a gyroscope assembly, which clutch is normally in engagement but which will become disengaged in response to a Vpredetermined torque movementy of thegyroscope resulting fromthe torque reaction of the gyroscope to precessional movement thereon;

Another object of our invention is to provide agyroscopic assembly including a differential gear and including electrical Contact members so thatsuch assembly is particularly .useful as a speed regulator for areversible electricmotor. Other objects and advantages will becomefmore apparent from avstudy of the following specification when considered in conjunction Withfthe accompanying drawing, Ain which:

Figure lis la front View partlyin cross-section of a gyroscope assembly embodyingfthe princif Aples of our invention; j 4 Y Y Fig2 is a side View of aportion` of the device shown VinFig. vl, which side View .is partially in crosssection; and l I Fig.V 3 is a, sectional view, taken along vline III-III of F.ig.2.

Referring more particularly toFig. 1 numerals' 23, 24 v and SSdenote portions of a `framey structure forrctatably .supporting a gyroscopic. assernbly* vSuch .assembly includes a gyroscope having a torque anispaspn axis and a precess'ion axis, all of which axes are indicatedon the drawl ing. These axes are Iall shown. as being at right angles with respect toene another, although they may be only approximately at right angles, if so desired.

Collector rings 25, 26, 2'! and 28 having suitable brushes associated therewith are used for the purpose of completing a circuit to the flexirrectionof rotation of the motor is secured, which rotation may be usedto correct for a deviation in speed iny a regulating system. Such motor and circuit are not shown since they comprise a well known control system.

A differential gear 32 may have applied toeach of its sun gears 33 and 34 rotative movements, thespeeds of which are to be matched. For instance, kspur gearMl may be driven at one speed while drive shaft 35, which is keyed to sun gear 34, is driven at another speed. yWhen gear M land shaft' (which are driven in oppositedirections) are driven at-the same speeds, the ,planetary gear assembly 36 will remain relatively stationary thereto. However, when these speeds are different,l the planetary gear assembly, with its plurality oi planetaryy gears such as 3],will revolve'relative tor sun gears 33 and vv34. The abovedescribed apparatus is indicative of merely one specific adaptation of our invention which is tobe described more in detail hereinafter.

Our invention maybe more clearly described by referring directly to the operation of the device, which is as follows. When excessive pre- .cession rotation of shaft 8 takes place, the gyro- `in part 2S and isfastened to the clutch by I I `andI. Part I4 is the clutch facing and `I2 the driven clutch member lwhich is keyed to shaft 8. Ball I3. allows for the relative rotation of push rod 5 and clutch I4. vThe clutch is normally held in engagement by spring I9.

In order to make the clutch very sensitive, an accurateadjustment of the length of push rod 5 is provided. Sleeve 3 is held xed axially but free in"rota'tion by set screws 9 and lock screws I0. The rotation takes place when set screw I3 and colla'rlZv are released just. far enough to: allow a rotation and yetno axial movementof adjustl ble and movabie contact-carrying member 252 and to each of the two relatively stationary Contact members 30 and 3i. Such stationary contact members may each be connected to a different field winding ci series motor so that circuit closed by virtue of contacting ship between member 2S and either of ment screw I I.

The adjustment cap 4 is held in rotation with sleeve 3 by the ears and slots shown, Whereas the push rod 5 is held in a similar manner in sleeve 6 which is xed by set screw 22. Consequently, rotation of II causes 4 to rotate relative to 5 and a change of length takes place. Spring I takes care of the length difference.

By choosing the proper springs and gyroscopic inertia, the clutch may be made to operate at any speed of precession. After the clutch has Contact members 30 and 3|, a predetermined di.- U5 operated, the gyroscope Will continue to run at the clutch opening speed and no higher regardless of the speeds the driven member of the clutch goes to. j

While our invention has been described as being applied to electrical switching means for a regulating system, it will be apparent that the torque movement of the gvroscope in; either di;- rection may "ne relied upon for other" control functions which are responsive to the amount iof,

precessional movement of the gyroscope.

We are, of course, aware that others, particu-j larly after having'had the benet oi the teachings of our invention, mayy devise other devices ern; bodying ourginvention, and we, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the specic' showngsmade in the drawing and they descriptive disclosure hereinbeiore made, but wish to be limited onlyv bythe scope of the kappended claim-s and such prior art that may be pertinent.`

We Vclaim as our invention: l. In combination with a gyroscope having torque, andi prec'ession axes all substantially Y at right angles with respect to one another, means for rotatably supporting the entire gyroscope about its precessionairis,` drive means ineuding aI driveshaft and eiutcl'r eoaxially disposed withrespect tof said preeessionaxis for rotating the entire gyroscope, said clutch being normally' in engagement and `being. disengageable 'in' response to excessive speed said drive means.

2.1m combination with a gyroscope having torque, spin and precession axes all substantially at right angles- With respeetto one another, means for rotatably supporting the entire gyroscope about its procession axis, drive meansincluding .'a drive shaft'and'elutch coaxially disposedwith 'respect to saidprecessionaxis for rotating the 'entire gyroscope, saidclutch'being normaliy in engagement and beingV disengageable in response to predetermined excessive movement of' the gyro scope about its Ytorque axis as effected by torque Y reaction `of the gyroscope to precessional movement'. Y

3.111 combination with a gyroscope having torque'spin Vand precession axes all substantially Y at right angles with'respect to one another, means for rotatablysupporting the entire gyroscope about its precession axis, Vdrive means including a driveshaftand clutch coaxially disposed with respect to saidprecessicn axis Vfor rotating the entire gyroscope, cam means movable in response to movementjof the gyroscope about the torque axis fori effecting disengagement of said clutchupon the attainment of ai predetermined amount 'of torque reaction rotation; t -V Y 4', In, Ycombination wlth Va gyroseope fhaving torque, spin andv precessi'onaxes' all substantially at right angleswith'respect to one anothenmeans for rotatably supporting )the entire ,gyroscope of' the gyroscope of precessional about itsprecession axis, drive means including of rotation by a drive shaft coaxially disposed with respect to said precession axis for rotating the entiregyroscope, a normally engaged clutch interposed in said drive means, a push rod coaxially disposed 5 and longitudinally movablealong said precession axis, a cam which is movable about said torque axis and which is operabl'eto longitudinally move said push rod along the preces'sion axis as the rel sult of gyroscopic movement about the torque axis. lo so as to effect disengagement of said clutch upon the-.attainmentof a predetermined value of such movement 5. Apparatus asset forth in claim 4 in which said push rod is adjustable in length along said prece'sson 'axis'in order to vary the sensitiveness t means: for rotatably supporting the entire gyro;

scope about'fits precessionjaxis, drive means in- -cludingadrive.' vshaiit ooaxiallyl disposed with respect to said precession axisor'rotating thev entire ig'yrossope, a normally fengage'rl clutch interposed infsaid drive means, kapush rod coaxially disposed and longitudinally movable along asaid m'ecession axisgfa camfwhich is movable about' said' torque 'axis and which is operable'to longitudinaiiy move said pushod along'thgV 4precession axis as the result of gyroscopic" move- 'ment' about the torque axis soA as to effect dis- -60 engagemei-'itv ci' saidelutch uponthe" attainment of apredetermined value of suchk movement, an 'arrtifrictiorrV bail disposed between Y said l'cani means and one end of said push'rod, another ant-iriction'ball disposed between the other'ge'nd 5 of thepush rodand cme of theclutch members. Y 9. VIn combination 'with a gyroseope khaving torque, spin and precession axes all substantially at right angles' withy respect to oneanother, means for rotatably supporting the Y'entire gyroscope about' its precession axis, drive means including a driveshaft and clutch coaxially-disposedfwith respect to said precession axis lorrotating the entire gyroscorpe,v said clutch being normally in engagement and being disengageable'iri response toY excessive speed of `rotation by said drive means, Y adifferential gear includingtwo sun gearsand a planetary gear assembiy,jsaid planetary gear assembly being rigidly secured to said drive shaft so astorotate it in proportion to relative rotation of saidsungears.

' 'JOHNsFoRsTEn Y' with ball means interposed between said cam and y 

